Ultrasonic Cavitation: What You Need to Know

Pros

• Ultrasonic cavitation is painless, leaves no scars, and requires no anesthesia.
• Recovery time is minimal to nonexistent, and side effects like mild bruising and redness are rare.
• Cavi lipo is much less expensive than surgical liposuction, even with a series of multiple treatment sessions. 
• Each treatment is relatively quick, taking less than an hour for most patients.
• Results are considered permanent when paired with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Cons

• It’s a real commitment. Most people need at least three (and up to 12) weekly treatments to see their desired results.
• It takes up to three months after your last treatment to see your final results.
• Like liposuction and other fat reduction treatment, this isn't a weight-loss procedure. To be a good candidate, you’ll need to be already at (or very close to) your goal weight and looking only to remove a stubborn fat deposit.
• People who have pacemakers, diabetes, cardiac issues, or vascular disease are not good candidates.

• Average Cost:
• $725

• Range:
• $166 - $4,100

The price you pay will depend on your provider’s level of experience, their practice location, how many sessions you have, and how many areas you have treated. 

Fat cavitation is much more affordable that liposuction (which has an average cost of $6,200) in part because it doesn't require anesthesia. It's also a much quicker, noninvasive procedure procedure that doesn't require so much technical expertise, though it's still a smart to find an experienced provider to ensure the best results and avoid risks (more on those below).

RealSelf members who've had ultrasonic cavitation give it a Worth It Rating of 57%. 

UltraShape and the newer UltraShape Power, the only FDA-approved devices that use ultrasound energy to destroy fat cells, have significantly higher Worth It Ratings than other types of ultrasonic cavitation treatments, so it's worth seeking them out.

Some RealSelf members who said ultrasonic cavitation was “Not Worth It” compared their results to what they’ve achieved with fasting.

One of the most important factors with any noninvasive fat reduction treatment is to ensure that you're a good candidate, with realistic expectations for your results. As we mentioned, this isn't a weight-loss treatment—it’s intended only to address pockets of body fat that have resisted diet and exercise.

You can expect to see your final results about three months after your last treatment session, but the rate at which results appear depends on how effective your body’s lymphatic system is at flushing out the damaged cells. 

The excretion begins right away, and drinking plenty of water, eating well, and exercising regularly can all help to speed up the process.

Related: How to Speed Up Your Lymphatic System After Body Contouring

Once the fat cells are destroyed, they’re gone for good—so results can be permanent.

“If your weight is stable, your results will be long-lasting—many years to a lifetime,” says Dr. Nichter.  However, he adds that “hormones, age, and other factors are also associated with increased fat.” 

As with any body sculpting treatment, you’ll need to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly, to keep the remaining fat cells in the area from expanding with weight gain.

This isn't a skin tightening treatment. “Current conventional external ultrasonic cavitation devices focus their energy at a deeper fat level, rather than close to the skin, and only result in less than 1°C of temperature change” says Dr. Nichter. Skin contracts when it's heated, which doesn't happen with fat cavitation. 

It is possible for fat reduction treatments to leave loose skin behind, especially in older patients with less collagen, elastin, and elasticity. 

If being left with loose skin is a concern, you can combine fat cavitation sessions with energy treatments like SkinTyte or BodyTite, which heat the skin enough to stimulate collagen production, says New York City-based plastic surgeon Dr. Norman Rowe.

Yes, ultrasonic cavitation destroys fat cells. According to Dr. Rowe, the devices work by vibrating the cells with a low-frequency sound wave until the cell walls burst. 

“When the membrane breaks, it causes the inside of the cell to be exposed to the lymphatic, or immune, system. When the fat cell breaks down, it becomes free fatty acids that in turn are sent out of the body as waste products through that lymphatic system.”

Over the coming weeks and months, the cells release triglycerides, which are processed by the liver and naturally flushed out.

It’s common to see ultrasound cavitation offered as a cellulite reduction treatment, but Dr. Rowe says its efficacy is, “typically, very limited.”

Cellulite, he explains, forms due to tough bands called septae that pull down on the skin, causing fat to bulge out in some areas and dimple in others. 

“Fat reduction machines can help to reduce the fat bound to the cellulite bands/cords—however, it has very little effect on the band itself. You would have a slight smoothing effect, as some of the lumpy particles are being melted, but if fat cells continue to grow in this area, it is expected that the cellulitic appearance would also return.”

See the top cellulite treatment options, according to doctors and RealSelf members.

Ultrasonic cavitation is a safe procedure with few risks. Dr. Nichter says that “side effects are few and far between.” Some patients do experience mild bruising or redness, but this will resolve on its own.

However, it does carry a few risks, such as the formation of lumps, bumps, valleys, hills, or depressions in the treated area. If you have concerns about these potential side effects, bring them up with your doctor.

The treatment should be pain-free, and most people describe it as calm and relaxing. However, one RealSelf member reported feeling “extreme discomfort and pain” during the treatment session. 

As always, seek out an experienced provider who uses the most up-to-date equipment to help ensure your safety. 

CoolSculpting uses fat freezing to target and kill fat cells, while ultrasound fat cavitation uses ultrasound waves to reduce fat deposits. Here's how the two treatments compare. 

• RealSelf members give both options a similar Worth It Rating, though UltraShape Power has a higher Worth It Rating than CoolSculpting (88% vs. 76%).
• Scientific research on results tends to favor CoolSculpting. The treatment has been studied extensively, with independent research published in 2015 proving that it effectively reduces the number of fat cells by 14.7 to 28.5% in one treatment session. Smaller studies performed for ultrasonic cavitation show that it works, but not enough large-scale research is available to determine how much fat reduction can actually be expected.
• Cost-wise, CoolSculpting can be more expensive, depending on how many sessions you need, though the average cost of UltraShape is very similar.
• CoolSculpting comes with more potential risks and side effects, so it's even more important to find an experienced provider with great patient reviews.

Related: CoolSculpting Comes with Some Rare, Reversible, Under-the-Radar Risks